Improvement in machines for shaving feathers



STATES GILBERT M. RICHMOND, OE GENEVA, wIsCONsIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR SHAVING FEATHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,128, dated December 22, 1874; application tiled September l0, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT M. RICHMOND, of Geneva, in the county of Walworth and State of Wisconsin, have invented a Machine for Shaving or Splitting Feathers, reference being had to the annexed drawings, which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to utilize turkey-feathers too stiff to be of any use in the manufacture of feather-dusters. This is done by shaving off the shaft of the feather from its under side, which makes the feather yielding and pliable.

The nature of the invention consists in the combination of a knife-plate with a block in such a manner as to leave a space sufficiently large to pass the quill of the feather between the knife and block, and then have the space diminish, so that the knife will continue to shave the shaft of the feather as it grows thinner from the quill outward. And it also consists in the combination, with said knife and block, of a pressure-plate to hold the feather horizontal and steady in front of the knife while it is being drawn under the knife, as hereinafter described. This guide or pressure plate may also be held and pressed down to rest upon the shaft of the feather its entire length, whatever its thickness, by means of a spring bearing in its upper surface.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of my machine 5 Fig. 2, a top view; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view taken at the line :c in Fig. 2.

A represents the block to which the knife is attached; B, represents the knife; C, the space between the knife and block, through which the quill of the feather is passed, and as it is drawn through the space it is drawn up to the knife to one side of the under part ofthe space, so that the knife commences shaving the shaft of the feather at its thickest end, or where the vane or beard of the feather commeuces. As the feather is drawn through it is pulled still farther to one side, continually passing to where the space between the knife and block decreases. The result is that the shaft of the feather is split or shaved off from its under side nearly or quite its entire length. D is the guide or pressure-plate which presses down on the feather and holds it horizontal to the plane of knife, and prevents it from turning up in front of the knife, so as to be cut off. Eis a spring bearing upon the pressure guide-plate D, so that it will press down upon the feather whatever the thickness of its shaft may be. The spring is attached to the block in any suitable manner, as is also the knife B.

The manner shown in the drawing for attaching the knife to the block, is by passing a screw through one end of the knife to the block with the other end passing under a strip or piece, F. By loosening the strip F the knife can loe swung around on the screw, passing through it at its other end, as a pivot, into a position Where it can be sharpened. Herefofore stiff feathers, like turkey-tail feathers, could not be used in the manufacture of featherdusters on account of their being so stiff and unyielding. They have been valueless, and

heretofore have not been saved to any considerable extent.

By the use of this machine, as above described, the feathers are yielding' and pliable, so that they can be utilized in the manufacture of feather-dusters. And feather-clusters with long yielding pliable feathers, and nearly as good as some ofthe largest feather-clusters made of ostriclrfeathers, can be made at an expense not exceeding one-fourth of many of the ostrich-feather dusters.

I claiml. In a machine for shaving or splitting feathers the combination of the block A and knife B, arranged with the tapering space between them, substantially as and for the'purpose specified.

2. In combination with the subject-matter of the above claim, the holding-plate D for holding the feathers, substantially as and for the purpose specified and shown.

G. M. RICHMOND.

Witnesses: I

LEWIS L. UOLBURN, HEINRICH F. BnUNs. 

